Pushkar Camel Fair A backpacker’s bucket list

Pushkar Camel Fair A backpacker’s bucket list

Pushkar Camel Fair (The Pushkar Mela)

The Pushkar Camel Mela or fair is a must-do on your backpacking list. Held in November each year, at the Kartik Purnima (an important full moon) is an astounding gathering of over 10,000 of the last camels in India. Also present at the fair are horses cattle, farmers, tourists, and traders.

A thriving, five day occasion, the carnival sees some rare displays of decorated camels on a colossal scale.

Camels of Pushkar

Camel is a very important source of livelihood for the desert dwellers of Rajasthan. Primarily, two species of camel exist. Nicknamed ‘ship of the desert’, some of best camels in the world are found in deserts due to their biochemistry which enables them to survive weeks without water, and walk in the treacherous desert terrain.

Thar Desert in Rajasthan is one of the few places in the world that houses an impressive collection of camels, all of which come together once a year at Pushkar Mela.

Lying a 15 minute drive away from the city of Ajmer, Pushkar is a microdot on the map. The 4 km by 4 km walled town of Pushkar is an ancient religious place.

Sparkling under the afternoon sun like a Jewel, a glimmering mirage in the desert, complete with camels, elephants, vividly coloured festivals, a vast, unique and killer cuisine, folk and tribal dances, and friendly, turban wearing desert folk, tiny Pushkar, is by no means left behind in the grandeur, and cultural décor of Rajasthan, Pushkar is a backpacker’s hub. Read more about backpacking Pushkar here.

Although the temple of Brahma is the main attraction here, don’t miss the temple of his wife Savitri Devi. Savitiri sits gazing down upon her husband’s temple in a rage that has lasted centuries. Take the 45 minute trek, and find out their story. Know more about things to do in Pushkar here.